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Thread: DIY ramps. Cheap, Simple and Safe.

  1. #1
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! charchri4's Avatar
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    DIY ramps. Cheap, Simple and Safe.

    My ramps are DIY ramps that are simple to make and much better than most store bought ramps. They work well for lowered car and you can get the riser out of the way which is really nice.












    The tops of the bases are 11" wide by 20" long and raise the car 9". The bottom part of them are 11" wide by 24" long. Mine are nearly all wood I had lying around and you can do the math to figure out that is a lot of feet of 2x4s!

    The risers or actual ramp part is 54" long and the tops of them are 2x10s. The reason for the little hunk of 2x6 at the top is because a 10 foot 2x10 was quiet a bit cheaper then a 12" 2x10 so I just added on to it. The boards under the deck are 2x4s laid on their side. Using them alone raises the car 5".

    Everything is screwed together with LOTS of 2 1/2" sheet rock screws.

    They are very stable and I feel really comfortable under them. If you want to add a safety feature you could put a little tab down on the riser to lock it into the base. Or you could go up from the base into the riser. I was planning on doing that but never did. I've used these for years and never had one move.











    By the way the trick to getting the risers cut exactly right is put the tops up on a 2x4 and scribe a line on your riser boards like so:






    The dents you see in the top of them are from using them as jack stands. Often when I have it up on the ramps and pull a wheel I just kick the ramp under the car and set it on it. It's the perfect height to sit right on the jacking point of the car or under the K member.
















    For little stuff or oil changes I use just the riser part which is the main reason I never put the tab in them that would lock them to the deck.









    I have a set of just stands made the same way for the rear. Sorry for the lousy photos, they are built the same as the front ones with stops front and rear since they can not be driven up on.


    The astute eye will catch they are one level higher than the fronts. As I get older I find it more confortable to be a little higher. I made a shim layer for the front to have it level for 4 wheel alignments.
    Last edited by charchri4; 12-17-2013 at 01:28 PM.
    Jim Stainer
    96 Miata powered by an 02 Camaro SS
    95 Miata automatic, all options all stock but if an LFX auto came along cheap...
    http://jimsmiata.blogspot.com/

  2. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to charchri4 For This Useful Post:

    Agent☣Orange (12-17-2013),atank (12-17-2013),jnshk (12-18-2013),Phatmiata (12-18-2013),WASABI (12-17-2013)

  3. #2
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Thanks for the ideas all all the great photos!

  4. #3
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! jnshk's Avatar
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    Great info and nice presentation! Even though I just bought some "race ramps" to replace the old wooden ramps that I'd made years ago, I can definitely appreciate a good set of wooden ramps and stands. Your design is much better than my original ramps were, and it is nearly identical to the ramps I just purchased. For someone looking for a good set of ramps on a shoestring budget, you've hit the nail on the head!
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    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    I splurged for Race Ramps too. Which ones did you get? I got tired putting planks before my regular ramps, scooting them out of place and getting out of the car to realign them over and over. I didn't have the lumber or energy like the OP to make a nice set of DIY ramps.

  6. #5
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone wannafbody's Avatar
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    Nice Camaro, I have a 2000TA WS6 the same color

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    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
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    I would feel much safer with this setup vs the plastic ones from AutoZone (made in China)

    And I have a TON of free wood as we get in lots of palletized shipments at my office!! Thanks Given for the great ideas and write ups!

  8. #7
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! jnshk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Agent☣Orange View Post
    I splurged for Race Ramps too. Which ones did you get? I got tired putting planks before my regular ramps, scooting them out of place and getting out of the car to realign them over and over. I didn't have the lumber or energy like the OP to make a nice set of DIY ramps.
    I went with the Race Ramps "RR-TKTR-RSE". The dimensions and design are remarkably similar to those in this DIY.
    Active: 1991 Mazda Miata (B-Package), JRSC+MS3 [Daily/Project]
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  9. #8
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Man, I don't even know what RRTKSETKRSE means.

  10. #9
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power Thumper13's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Agent☣Orange View Post
    Man, I don't even know what RRTKSETKRSE means.
    It means a man who has an appreciation for the best.light weight and multipurpose ramps and COST is no option. If you're tracking a lot and you have ramps instead of a lift gate these are the must have service ramps ( low 400.00 range )

  11. #10
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    The part I like best about charchri's design is the two-piece funcionality.


  12. #11
    1,000 rpm - releasing the clutch RedNeckSmoker's Avatar
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    for all us DIYers outhere here is the best site i have found,and some of the coolest tools,ramps,stands etc almost anything your DIY heart could desire http://www.homemadetools.net/categories
    Last edited by RedNeckSmoker; 01-05-2014 at 04:10 AM.

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